Putnam Students Enter the Shark Tank

Putnam Students Enter the Shark Tank

Posted on 02/28/2017

In our Personalized Projects Elective run by Ms. Bees and Señor Cozzi, the students were given the challenge to present a solution to an imminent world problem. Working in think-tanks, they researched the global needs with shelter, hygiene, education, access to water, and hunger. First, they created a creative public service display on our media lab dry-erase walls, displaying some of their most impressive findings. These images covered the classroom as evidence of our investment to solve these issues. After a thorough look into some powerful statistics and real life needs around the world, each team attempted to design a plausible solution, with a complete action plan. Students used their passion and investment to become agents of change and designed innovative ways to tackle these.

On our final class, students walked into the Shark Tank. Based on the very popular television show, each think-tank presented to a panel of tough judges, who challenged every aspect of their solution. After a short pitch, each team answered tough questions, using their data and complete understanding of the issue they covered, in order to seek the funding needed to launch their initiative. Most groups received the funding necessary from the Shark investors in Putnam Avenue dollars. The best work was also reviewed by a main investor of the Beeck Center of Social Entrepreneurship in Georgetown University, who was thoroughly impressed by their work and approaches, and shared these solutions with active social entrepreneurs.